If you’ve ever heard me teach the Bible, you know that I don’t use a Bible when I do!
Odd, I know.
The reason is that I can’t see the Bible. (If you’re a new reader, this might be a good time to tell you I’m blind.) Instead, I try to memorize the passages I am teaching.
For that reason, I am often asked how I memorize Scripture. So, I thought I would share with you one way I do it.
Research shows that women cry anywhere between 30 and 64 times a year. That means most of us girls shed tears at least twice a month and some of us cry about every five days!
Happy tears. Sad tears. Angry tears. We cry for all sorts of reasons.
Some of us are “Tricklers.” You know, we have an occasional tear drip from the eye, but it’s usually quick, controlled, and rare.
And, then there are the “Niagaras” among us! Do I even need to explain? A gushing flood of liquid emotion pours from both eyes at a moment’s notice! Then the waterfall lasts much longer than that one moment!
Any worn-out, weary women out there?
Oh, girl, we all feel it from time to time. I’ve been in the fast lane for the last several months and I’m feeling it! Between all the emotion of losing my dad paired with all the ministry travel, I feel like I’m running on fumes.
Life can just deplete us, can’t it? And I know you know exactly what I’m talking about.
When we feel weak, we need strength. It’s just that simple—and that difficult. That’s when we most need to pray.
When Phil and I were newlyweds, we were in Wal-Mart one day getting some duplicate keys made. As we waited at the counter, my cell phone rang, and I turned slightly away from Phil to take the call.
(By the way, if you’re a new reader, this might be a good time to tell you I’m blind.)
When I hung up a few minutes later, I reached out to put my arm around Phil’s waist. As I did, I slipped my hand down and patted him on his—well, you know. We were newlyweds, after all!
As I did, I heard him say, “Jennifer, what are you doing?”
There are some things we carry around that are way too heavy. They weigh down our spirits. They crush our hearts. They dampen our joy. They are heavy — way too heavy to carry.
Heartache. Sorrow. Stress. Rejection. Illness. Loneliness. Loss.
If you came into my bedroom and opened my closet door, the first things you would see (if you ignored the dirty clothes on the floor) would be the red Coach bag my sister-in-law gave me for my fortieth birthday alongside the backpack my friend, Karen, brought me from her trip to Paris. I love these bags – they are the nicest ones I own since I usually buy cheapies! (I can’t spend too much on a bag because I buy way too many — they always fit!)
Not only are they lovely bags, they mean a lot to me because of who gave them to me. Every time I open the door of the closet, my treasured bags are right there.
